Anyone into card making-need some new ideas?

[layla]

Hi have just got into making cards and have made some with wire.
Need some new ideas now.
Would love to talk ideas.Don't want to cheat too much by buying instant sticky things to stick on if you know what I mean.I want to buy basics and make something out of it.Like I make now by making pictures out of wire.
Have just made a load for the school fair and the kids enjoy making some with me too which is fun.
Would like to maybe make some to sell at some point.
Does anyone have any ideas about how much they should sell for and where to approach etc?
I'm reallly excited about it.
Anyone just want to chat about it?
Has anyone been on any courses?

I'm glad this thread is up and running again. I am really busy at the moment and haven't had much time to make cards. But I have just started my web design course so that I can set up my website to sell them. Very very excited!

Love all the ideas on this thread!

chinchilla-- I will enter the prize draw. I think you may be right about they stipulated that you use a certain set of products in the card making comps

layla-- it is a brill site isn't it, hard to leave tho. Hobby craft is a big chain of craft stores, the site has projects including lots of card ideas but be warned, you will be on it for aggggeeess!!

fisil-- fantastic news!! let us know when it's set up.

Hi Champs,thanks for that link too.I love getting ideas.I've been in every shop around here checking their handmade cards out for ideas.
Fisil,great news well done.Can we have a peek when it's up and running?I've enjoyed chatting with you on e mail.

oh, and I am planning on e-mailing back, layla - I am just soooo busy right now (sorry, beginning to sound both lame and boring!)

Hi Fisil,please don't worry you sound super busy.
Guess what I got my cards in my favourite card shop.I called in again to show her my new ideas and she took 4 designs including the new baby one she liked before.They've been in a week now,do you think it's too early to check on their progress?It probably is.

layla!! thats fantastic. dont know how soon is too soon! you could ask her what the reaction to them has been.

hey layla - that is fantastic news!

hey layla - that is fantastic news!

brill news about your cards.
hope you're not going to show us all up

Brilliant news Layla. Keep trying other shops too, and soon you'll have several stocking them.

Thanks folks.I was a bit nervous asking in shops at first.I've asked in quite a few now and have my cards in 2 shops.Both are sale or return which I don't mind as it's nice to see them selling I guess.I don't know if any's sold yet though.

I've also just got my first real order which is exciting.Get your family to show your cards to people,you never know.I sent some to my sister and the order is from her neighbour.24 cards,12 with a lily on and 12 with a windmill on.So I found a picture of a lily and windmill on the computer and have copied them onto foil embossing them.1.20 a card.What do you think of that price Chinchilla,do you think it's too cheap?

Speak soon layla.

Yes Layla. I sell my cards to shops for £1.50, or tell them that I expect that from the sale (if it is S or R). I sell my cards privately for the same price, (unless I use better quality envelopes (thick brown crafty ones) as they make the product look nicer, and cost more to buy. I sell these for £2.00). I do think that you have to look at how labour-intensive your cards are to make. You have to work out an average price per card to make, and then allow some money for your time. If you are only looking to cover costs, then you can sell them a bit cheaper.

ps - Make sure that you are 100% comfortable with the owners of the shops that are selling your cards on a S or R basis. I recently had a bad experience with a man in one shop (The Art Cafe, West Mersea, Colchester - just to get revenge) who was very evasive when it came to paying me. Also, he had 116 of my cards in a box in his back room, and only 5 out for sale...hmmm, good sales technique? Don't think so! I had a dodgy feeling about him right from the start, so I would definitely say to trust your gut instinct about people you are selling to.

Chinchilla thanks for your wise words about trusting your instincts.The woman in one shop was always surly when I went in buying stuff so when I took my cards to her I was expecting a no.But she was by far the nicest and wished me good luck.I was so surprised.I took some new ideas back to her and this time she took four of my designs,15 cards,just to see how they go.

That man in that shop sounds like a right dickhead.You need to be a bit tough I think.I have no business sense at all.I think I will charge more next time I get an order.It's been a bit of a mare designing a windmill that works but finally I have done one with the help of dh and I'm happy with it now.He didn't like the first one I designed.He said I should charge a design fee of 5 pounds if doing something new from scratch.It would be nice to have a brochure put together of the designs that I do.What do you think,do you have one?ps thanks for your advice again.

Oh meant to say...I'm not happy with the other shop my cards are in because they have priced my cards at 3 pounds each.I get 1.25 each.So that's a big profit for them.I'm happy with my money it's just I want them to sell I don't want them back do I?I just wonder how many they will sell at that high a price.I did say to her I'd rather 2.50 was the price and they actually sold than higher and they didn't sell.Bah.

Layla, the brochure depends on how many varieties of cards you make. Most of mine are totally different, so it would be impossible for me to do it. I usually take a box with all my cards in for the shop owner to browse through. They then take the ones that they want to sell. However, your suggestion is good too. It certainly saves you work, knowing that you need to make 10 of a certain design. Just make sure that you have a new selection of choices every so often, and that you make lots for certain occasions e.g. Mothers' Day, Valentine's Day etc.

I too have one shop that marks my cards up at £3. I 'phoned him the other day, and he said that they were going slowly. I nearly said, 'Well of course they are, because you are being greedy!'

'Selection of choices'...hmm, superfluous word there?!

So far I haven't put any words on mine but I've made some heart ones for valentines day.I've been a bit scared about putting words on and it's taken me a long time to come round to the idea of word stickers.But I saw some lovely ones in a craft shop in gold and they even had welsh greetings.So I'm taking Fisil's advice on the stickers and am going to try them

Where my cards are what I did was take in a variety of about 10 or 12 designs and thay picked out the ones they liked then I went away and made 5 or 3 of each design they wanted.In the new age shop they had very definate ideas of what appeal to their customers so didn't like my pastely ones for example.So it does depend on what type of shops you go in to what they think suits the shop.She didn't like my twee ones either.

Chinchilla I tried that site but they didn't have the right size of poly bags I'm looking for.Has anyone seen polybags which are 120mm by 95mm?

Can anyone tell me what layering is I'm such a beginner I don't know what it is and I think I may like to have a go?

Try this site

Thanks Chinchilla,I tried them but no luck-they do say they can make any size but I bet that means a bulk order and I only want about 20 to start with.

Layla - It is easier to make cards that are a standard (or common) size. A6 is the size most commonly catered for. Try this site . You could buy A6 bags (120 x 162), fold them over and seal with a sticker. Otherwise, I think that you might be out of luck

I bought a pack of small cards and envelopes and want to make some childrens cards with them.Guess I'll have to just use them myself if i can't find the bags.I'll try that other site though thanks.
I usually make C6 size cards.